


Fluffy I Only Have Eyes For You

by Hils



Series: The Fluffy Files [9]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-08-13
Updated: 2001-08-13
Packaged: 2018-10-08 22:40:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10397784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hils/pseuds/Hils





	

Spike watched intently as Buffy fought one of his minions. Despite the violence of it all, her moves were elegant, like a dance. Everything she did seemed to be perfectly coordinated, he was transfixed and he smiled as she flipped the vampire over her head and staked him.

Picking up the remote, he pressed rewind and settled himself down to watch the tape again. He remembered when he had ordered his minions to tape Buffy's fights so that he could study her moves; he'd been impressed then but was even more so now. He'd found the tapes one night when he'd been especially bored, Angelus and Dru having gone out to hunt and him still being stuck in his wheelchair. At first he'd watched them just to entertain himself, but now they were like a companion to him, he'd memorized every second of them and not a night passed when he didn't watch them at least once.

He stretched his legs as the tape began to run again. He was more or less back to full strength, and was now biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment to destroy Angelus and get things back to normal with Dru. As per usual they were out, and Spike knew for a fact that they wouldn't be back until just before dawn and that they'd head straight to bed, together. He barely saw anyone anymore. A random minion would bring him his food and Dru would occasionally say goodbye before they went out, but other than that he was totally alone.

* * *

The next evening he decided to go out, there was little risk of being caught since Angelus and Dru would be out all night. He couldn't stand the sight of his room any longer and he needed exercise that went beyond pacing up and down.

As soon as he was sure Angelus and Dru were out, he grabbed his coat and left, not sure where he was going and at this stage not caring. Anywhere that was outside was good.

He wandered randomly around for a while until eventually he found himself in one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries. There was something oddly comforting about graveyards, he found, they were so peaceful.

A scream pierced the night.

Spike looked around for its source and briefly saw a girl run past him, holding her neck. Apparently he wasn't the only vampire enjoying a stroll through the headstones. Peering through the bushes, he heard the grunts of a fight. It could mean only one thing. The Slayer.

Trying to keep himself out of sight, he crept forward until they were in full view. From there he watched. Just like the tapes, she was perfect as she fought, barely breaking a sweat as she punched and kicked her foe. The fight was over all to soon. She staked the vampire and straightened from her fighting stance.

"Well, well, well," a voice sneered from behind him. "Look who decided to get up and take a walk."

Spike turned around slowly and found himself facing Carlos, one of Angelus' many minions. Spike particularly hated this guy; he was filled with delusions of grandeur, and saw himself as a future master vampire.

"I'm sure Angelus would love to know that the apparent cripple is out taking evening strolls."

Spike's face didn't change. "Yeah, I'm sure he'd love to know. Too bad you won't be around to tell him."

The two vampires launched themselves at each other, Carlos tackling Spike to the ground. With a swift upper kick, Spike bucked the younger vamp off him and he jumped to his feet. Carlos launched himself at Spike and the older vampire stepped to one side, grabbing him and tossing him over his shoulder into the clearing.

Buffy stared at the shaking bushes for a moment; there was obviously some sort of fight going on. She was about to intervene when a vampire flew out and landed at her feet. With one swift motion, she staked him and looked back at the bushes, wondering who or what was in there. Obviously they weren't human; no human could overpower a vampire like that.

Cautiously she walked over, reached in and pulled. A look of disgust covered her face when she saw who it was. She quickly pulled out a stake.

"Whoa, hold it, Slayer." Spike protested, holding up his hands to show that he wasn't armed. Buffy didn't seem to care. She punched him hard, sending his head snapping back.

"I don't believe this, Angel's got you spying on me. What's the matter with him, can't do his own dirty work?"

She raised her stake. "Well, at least this way he'll see what happens to vamps who follow me."

"That's a good plan, Slayer, or it would be if Angel actually gave a damn about what happened to me. It'll probably take him a month to even notice I'm gone."

Buffy faltered for a moment and then her face hardened again. "You actually expect me to fall for that?"

He shrugged. "Believe what you want, Slayer. But I don't see what lying is going to achieve, you're going to dust me either way."

Keeping her eyes fixed on him she lowered her arm. "So, if Angel doesn't know you're here, what do you want?"

"Contrary to popular belief, the world doesn't revolve around you, pet. I was just out for a walk and you happened to be here."

Buffy raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Are you saying you're just passing through?"

"Well…yeah." All he could think about was how beautiful she looked in the moonlight…and how much he wanted to kiss her.

Buffy rolled her eyes and turned to leave. "Whatever, just stay out of my way, Spike. I see you hanging around me again and I might be a little less generous with the lack of stakings."

"Wait!" He had no idea what had made him call out to her, but she stopped and turned back to him. He had to think of something good to say, and fast.

"I wanna help."

Buffy looked astounded and she had every right; she could hardly believe the words had come out of his mouth.

"W-what?" she finally managed to stammer.

"I'm serious," he stated firmly. "I'm probably the only person that hates Angel as much as you do, and I'm the best person to help you take him down."

She considered him for a moment, something about the way he spoke, the look in his eyes convinced her he was serious.

"Do you have a plan?"

He nodded. "Angel's got a lot of guys working for him, we take them out a few at a time and then attack before he knows what's going on. I can show you their main feeding grounds, all local areas."

"Alright, meet me here tomorrow night and we'll make a start."

He nodded and slipped back into the darkness. Buffy stared after him for a moment, the realization at what she'd done hitting her hard. She'd formed a truce with her former enemy.

* * *

Two weeks had passed and Buffy was meeting Spike for another patrol. Angel's numbers were growing thinner by the day and it wouldn't be long until they were ready to attack. It had taken her a while to get used to going patrolling with Spike, but over the last few days she had actually found herself looking forward to seeing him. She hadn't told her friends about Spike, it would be too difficult after everything that had happened with Angel. They wouldn't understand that she was starting to have feelings for another vampire.

She and Spike had shared a lot on their patrols. It had been difficult at first, but he was always eager to listen and she found that she could be totally honest with him. In return he'd told her about Angel and Dru. They'd shared their past, her telling him about her life before becoming the Slayer and what it had been like when she'd been called. He'd told her about the different countries he'd been to and the adventures he'd had.

"I think it's time we paid Angel a visit," Buffy said to Spike once he arrived. "I think we're ready to take him on."

He paused for a moment before shaking his head. "It's too soon. Give it a bit more time."

Inwardly he cursed himself. It was possible for them to take down Angel now, but somehow he couldn't bring himself to do it. Once Angel had been defeated, it would mean the end of their truce and he wouldn't get to spend time with her anymore.

Buffy began to pace. "How much longer are we going to have to wait? The longer we put this off, the more people we put in danger."

"Not much longer, we'll do it soon, I promise."

"Soon?" Buffy snapped. "Look, I realize time is no big deal for you, but the lives of my friends and family are on the line here. Angel's already killed someone Giles cared about. How many more people have to die before you decide it's time for us to move? Maybe I should just go after Angel myself."

Spike grabbed hold of her arm. "Don't be an idiot, you won't last five seconds if you go now."

She shook him off, her eyes blazing. "I can't just stand about waiting like this! Just because all you care about is getting your ho back, doesn't mean everyone else should suffer for it."

Spike flinched at the mention of Dru. "Well let's just remember that if you hadn't shagged Angel we wouldn't have this problem in the first place."

As soon as the words had left his lips he regretted them. A look of pain covered Buffy's face and tears began to well up in her eyes.

"I loved him," she whispered and shook her head sadly. "But I guess love isn't something you know anything about."

As she turned and walked away, Spike was too stunned to even think about calling after her.

* * *

Another week passed before they met up again, neither of them could forget the hurtful things the other had said, both of them having run it over in their heads again and again. Finally they ran into each other in the cemetery and had come to the agreement that despite their differences they would continue to work together until Angel was gone. Neither of them mentioned the argument again, but they still thought about it every day.

"You know anything about ghosts?" Buffy asked Spike one evening as they patrolled.

Spike shrugged. "A little bit, why?"

"We've got a bit of a ghost problem at the school."

With that, she told him the whole story, how in 1955 a student and teacher had fallen in love and when the teacher finally tried to break off the affair they had a big fight and the student shot and killed her before shooting himself.

"So, I'm guessing there's some sort of unfinished business thing going on. What does the ghost want?" Spike asked.

"Forgiveness."

Spike nodded. "There must be some way of staging the events so that we can get this Grace to forgive him."

Buffy stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him. "You actually think she'd forgive him? More to the point, you think he deserves the forgiveness at all?"

Spike stopped and turned back to face her. "Buffy, luv, everyone makes mistakes, it doesn't mean they should be punished for it forever."

They were both beginning to wonder whether they were actually still talking about James and Grace.

"And you think she should forgive him just because he's sorry? It doesn't work like that, Spike. Innocent people have died because of him, he deserves to suffer."

Spike began to see where all this was coming from. "Listen, luv. I know you've been hurt by Angel but not helping this James bloke isn't going to solve anything."

"This isn't just about Angel." Buffy snapped. "It's about..."

Her voice trailed off as she struggled to search for the words. She almost told him that it was about him too, that he had hurt her just as much as Angel had. But somehow the words died on her lips.

"About?" Spike prompted, wishing she would tell him exactly what was bothering her. He couldn't bear the idea that she was still angry with him; he preferred it when she was hitting him, not keeping it all bottled inside like this.

She shot him a cold glare. "Just forget it, Spike. I'm tired and I'm going home."

As she walked away and left him once more, his heart sunk in his chest, he was losing her. He was halfway back to the mansion before it hit him. He couldn't let her go like this, like it or not, she was going to talk about what was going on between them, even if he had to force her. He knew she'd be going back to the school to report to Giles; he just had to catch up with her. Doubling back he began to run.

* * *

Buffy brushed the tears out of her eyes as she made her way home. Damn Spike for making her feel like this. Hadn't she had enough misery to last her a lifetime?

"I need you."

A voice whispered to her on the breeze and she shook her head, thinking she was imagining things.

"Come to me."

Before she even knew what she was doing she had turned around and had headed back towards the school.

* * *

As Buffy approached the high school building, the veil of wasps surrounding it parted for her like a theatre curtain. She was oblivious to it all, she only knew that she was supposed to be here for the Sadie Hawkins Dance. She slowly climbed the steps of the school, walked through the main doors and began to wander the corridors. Finally she stopped by the trophy cabinet.

"Slayer…we need to talk. And what's with all the wasps outside?"

Spike stood a few feet behind her, unharmed by the wasps that obviously had no interest in the undead. Buffy said nothing, she merely stood there with her back to him.

"Look, I know you're pissed off with me, but I haven't got much time. I don't want Angel to know I'm gone."

"You're the only one," Buffy said softly. "The only one I can talk to."

Spike took a step closer to her, hope in his heart. "I feel the same, I…I just want you to be able to have some kind of normal life. We can never have that, don't you see?"

As had happened before, James and Grace played out their final moments together as they had done so many times before. This time, James inhabited Buffy while Grace was in Spike.

"I don't give a damn about a normal life! I'm going crazy not seeing you. I think about you every minute."

Spike raised his hand and laid it gently on her cheek, Buffy lowered her eyes sadly.

"I know." Spike said softly. "But it's over, it has to be."

He turned and began to leave but Buffy looked up and chased after him.

"Come back here! We're not finished!"

She grabbed hold of his arm and spun him around to face her.

"You don't care anymore, is that it?"

Spike choked back a sob. "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter what I feel."

"Then tell me you don't love me. Say it!"

Spike looked up at her, his voice trembling. "Is that what you need to hear? Will that help? I don't."

He tried to pull away from her but she held on tight to his arm.

"I don't, now let me go."

"No. A person doesn't just wake up and stop loving somebody!"

Spike stared at her as she let go of his arm, took a step back and raised a revolver. She pulled the hammer back and aimed it at him. Spike looked at the gun and then at Buffy, fear in his eyes.

"Love is forever," Buffy said, her voice shaking. "I'm not afraid to use it, I swear! If I can't be with you…"

"Oh, my God." Spike whispered before turning and running down the corridor.

"Don't walk away from me, bitch!" Buffy screamed, chasing after him.

Spike continued to run, bursting through the doors onto the balcony, Buffy close behind.

"Stop it!" she yelled. "Stop it! Don't make me!"

Spike stopped at the balcony railing, panting with fear.

"Alright. Just…" He turned around slowly so that he was facing her. "You know you don't want to do this. Let's both…just calm down. Now give me the gun."

He held out his hand to her.

"Don't," Buffy snapped. "Don't talk to me like I'm some stupid…"

Suddenly, without any warning, the gun in her hand went off, the sound of the shot resounding throughout the whole building. Spike flinched in pain and clutched his hand to his chest. He withdrew it and saw his fingers coated in blood. Looking up, his eyes met Buffy's who was staring at him, open-mouth with the shock of what she'd just done.

"James." Spike whispered and toppled over the balcony railing, falling to the base of the stairs below. Buffy stared at his prone form for a moment before turning and walking slowly back into the building. She didn't see Spike's eyes open, or him start to sit up.

She entered the music room and switched a record on before walking over to stand in front of a large mirror. James' reflection looked back at her, his eyes full of tears. He looked down at the gun and Buffy slowly raised it. A hand covered hers and pushed it back down. She turned around and found herself facing Spike.

"Grace!" she gasped in shock.

"Don't do this." he whispered gently, keeping his hand on the gun.

"But-but I killed you."

Spike shook his head. "It was an accident. It wasn't your fault."

Tears flowed down Buffy's cheeks. "Oh, it _is_ my fault. How could I…"

"Shhh," Spike soothed. "I'm the one who should be sorry, James. You thought I stopped loving you, but I never did. I loved you with my last breath."

Buffy began to sob.

"Shhh…no more tears."

He pulled her into his arms and they began to kiss, holding each other tightly. Minutes passed and a bright light filled the room. The spirits of James and Grace left this world for the next; they had found peace at last.

As the light faded, Buffy and Spike continued to kiss for a few more seconds before parting.

"I'm sorry," Buffy whispered, tears still running down her cheeks. "I shouldn't have said those things to you."

Spike shook his head and brushed her tears away. "I'm the one who should be sorry, luv. I had no right to mention Angel; I know how much you love him."

"Loved him," she corrected. "He's gone now, I accepted that a long time ago…I just wasn't willing to let go until…"

Spike stroked her hair gently. "Until what, pet?"

She leaned up and kissed him. "Until I met you."

The End


End file.
